By Mary Frances McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 6/26/03)

A patch of brush was cleared last week near the intersection of Barnsfield and Centreville Roads and on Sunday evening, the first shovel of many shovels full of dirt was turned by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde at the site where St. Veronica Church in Herndon will be built.

More than 500 parishioners battled the mud and the bugs to witness the beginning of their new spiritual home.

Assisting Bishop Loverde at the ceremony were Father Marcus Pollard, pastor, and seminarians Joe Adams and James Searby.

"You and I have been longing for this moment where we can gather to bless this ground for the church wherein the Lord Jesus will dwell and be in your midst," said Bishop Loverde. "I am so pleased to be among you this afternoon. Some months from now we will gather again. The church is the parish family home and that is why we are rejoicing because soon you will be home."

St. Veronica Parish was established by Bishop Loverde on June 17, 1999. The first Mass was offered in August of the same year at Community of Faith United Methodist Church in Herndon, celebrated by Father Pollard. A permanent Mass schedule was established at Oak Hill Elementary School in Herndon.

St. Veronica Parish drew its parishioners from St. Timothy Parish in Chantilly, St. Joseph Parish in Herndon and St. John Neumann Parish in Reston.

In a letter to the parishioners, Father Pollard wrote, "I want to thank you, the people of St. Veronica’s, and all others who have assisted in the foundation and formation of this parish. It has been your hard work, prayers, patience and self-giving that have enabled the parish to get to this point." Father Pollard also thanked Anne McKinley, parish secretary, for coordinating the events of the groundbreaking.

Bishop Loverde told the story of St. Veronica offering her veil to Jesus during his walk to Calvary, and told the parishioners, "You and I are called to offer our lives as a veil to the Lord that we may imprint Himself on us."

In his final prayer at the groundbreaking ceremony, Bishop Loverde prayed, "God of love, we praise your holy name, for you have made us your temple by baptism and inspire us to build on earth churches dedicated to your worship. Look favorably upon your children, for they have come with joy to begin the work on this new church facility. Enable them to grow into the temple of your glory, until, shaped anew by your grace, they are gathered by your hand into your heavenly city."

At the closing of the ceremony, Father Pollard thanked God, he thanked the bishop for presiding over the ceremony, and he thanked all of the parishioners of St. Veronica Parish. "I am spoiled rotten," he said. "I couldn’t have asked for a better parish."

Also present at the ceremony were Father Christopher Buckner and Father Chris Pollard, who brought his mother to see the beginning of her son’s new parish.

The parish complex will be built in five phases. The first phase will include the parish center and nine classrooms of the school. The limited number of classrooms will allow room for CCD, adult religious education classes and parish committee meetings; and a multi-purpose room will be built for parish socials. Masses will be celebrated there until the vestibule is built in phase two. More classrooms will also be built in phase two.

The church will be built in phase three of the building plan, and St. Veronica School will be completed in phase four. The last phase of construction will add the rectory and garage.

Parishioners hope the church will be completed and the school will be open by August of 2004.